You can't play WRONG notes this fast!

Discord: / discord :)
Transcription of Liberace's Boogie Woogie performance and his 16th note boogie (03:27).
Original video at • Liberace Boogie Woogie...
Usage comes under fair use for the purpose of education.
00:00 Fast
3:23 Blink and you'll miss it

[@GeorgeCollier]

Consider subscribing if you liked this video for more like this on my channel!

[@qprx]

Hi George 👋

[@LegitMacro]

Mhm boi

[@LordmonkeyTRM]

Not a dry seat in the house

[@TheRoyalOne-xb4vw]

tf,this video is a year old

[@alfathfajar6856]

CLEARLY YOU DON'T OWN AN AIR FRYER

[@TheYeetiest]

This guy plays the riff in his left hand, A) Without mistakes (Easy with practice) B) Without looking (Feasible) C) *While talking* (What.)

[@ghostagent3552]

And that's why I could probably play wrong notes faster than him

[@Ethan_Simon]

And D) double time!

[@gassyirishman2859]

That's why he has a star on Hollywood Boulevard

[@pacg1801]

@@Ethan_Simon oh god I didn’t even notice

[@JabberZhoc]

🤯

[@circuitsmith]

All the great jazz pianists talk about the importance of the left hand, and Liberace shows why.

[@overlord-6644]

I don’t know much about playing piano, is the left hand not usually important?

[@karthikrox6310]

@@overlord-6644 I don't play the piano, but I believe normally the right hand produces the melody in most cases so many don't see the importance of the bassline the lefthand generates

[@KaigaiCocoBeer]

@@karthikrox6310 to be honest, you can play a tune without a melody, but you just _can't_ play a melody without a triad bass. It's like building a floating castle, you're definitely not interested on the floating land, but the spotlighted castle isn't possible if the ground is not floating in the first place.

[@sewergang3460]

@@KaigaiCocoBeer just like how most people don't care about bass in other types of music.

[@user-nw7vv6em1n]

@@overlord-6644 it isnt less important. But the meaning of having a stable left hand is you have more cognitive power to use on other stuff

[@poopydoody7618]

As a trumpet player, I find it quite difficult to sing and play at the same time, but this man and his amazing talent has truly inspired me.

[@gamerfromdiscord2577]

indeed

[@rogerwilco2]

Well, yeah.

[@nitrocharge2404]

Lemme tell you, I've tried blacksmithing while playing the violin, and it's no walk in the park either

[@cameronsitton501]

@NitroCharge 240 I imagine the biggest problem is the temperature affecting the violin's sound quality and tuning

[@embryoniclebronster]

James Morrison would find it pretty easy to do

[@leokimvideo]

What's great about Liberace is when he found something that the audience loved he stuck with it. As years rolled on he just added layers and layers of extravagance to his shows.

[@jacobruiz97]

Did not expect to see you here at all

[@Gregorypeckory]

That's called pandering and it's the lowest form of expression because you're just trying to manipulate the audience and aren't expressing anything from yourself; just trying to earn a good reaction. I guess that's fine if you just want to get a crowd to applaud, and the dude was known more but if you want to be as a showman than artist, but if you want to be a real artist, you don't do so by collecting a bunch of people pleasing phrases and jamming them all together to get a bunch of applause.

[@EuTiming]

@@Gregorypeckorydoes it hurt?

[@Gregorypeckory]

@@EuTiming Trying to be cute huh? Too bad you failed.

[@EuTiming]

@@Gregorypeckory thats not what i‘m talking about rather the stick who got put up your ass, ya folk need to analyse everything and forgot how to have fun, we regular people just wanna be wowed thats pretty damn gold for our soul and mental

[@themandownstairs4765]

Fun fact: playing piano while talking is a quick way to reduce most fluent English speakers to completely basic, scarcely functional English

[@13_cmi]

Playing any instrument while talking is hard. Especially wind instruments

[@5eriously148]

@@13_cmi you do have a point

[@thunderanimations7320]

It's hard to talk when you're playing the microphone, yeah.

[@MysteryOfTheShockwave]

@@13_cmi Chin-held string instruments is hard, but possible, so long as you learn to be a ventriloquist so your jaw doesn't move the instrument.

[@MysteryOfTheShockwave]

@@sandman0330 Four? Left hand, right hand, and pedals. Talking would be four. Also, you clearly have never played a string instrument. We don't usually look at our fingers as we play. So, you have the left hand playing all the notes and having to also potentially do vibrato without shaking the entire instrument, the right hand/arm bowing back and forth, but also having to go up and down for the individual strings (or playing multiple at once) and angling the number of bow hairs for volume, where you bow on the string, and how much force you're using, and then add ventriloquism on top of that and you get something near impossible.

[@TornaitSuperBird]

ah yes, the Boogie Woogie 100% speedrun

[@jockey101]

😂

[@TuningFreak23]

Lmao

[@Funk-Fox]

i love that if you could said this to him back then he would have no clue what it meant

[@jockey101]

@@Funk-Fox lmao

[@rtg_onefourtwoeightfiveseven]

With commentary!

[@johnnytheyoungmaestro]

"You wanna do it again, don't you?" I feel like only Liberace can say a line like that with such a tone. He was certainly an amazing musician.

[@andreathompson-bg4hl]

Yes

[@zeke6099]

and the wink, damn

[@barllllll]

​@@zeke6099😂

[@morganahoff2242]

2:18 That little wink! Apparently Liberace was the first to engage with the camera, as if he were looking at a person, and captivated viewers by making them feel he was doing the show just for them.

[@jsbrules]

What a strange idea. Performers were doing that for decades. I guess he maintained that engagement for longer, though -- not just for a wink.

[@morganahoff2242]

@@jsbrules Exactly! It wasn't a new idea in performance...just no one had thought of doing it through a camera lens. We take it for granted now that the MC speaks to the camera, and thereby to the viewers, but in the early days of TV, they were treating it like theatre, where the audience had a privileged viewing of a scene unfolding before them.

[@xmrhyde]

@@morganahoff2242 Eh. All due props to the maestro, but Chico Marx was doing that before Liberace was. kzbin.info/www/bejne/imawdKFon9qAiZI

[@b0uncyPrickles]

absolutely, he was the first no one did this before!! 😂

[@xpdatabase1197]

Let me tell you it worked.

[@EloLeChan]

"You wanna do it again don't 'cha 😏" He has earned both my respect _and_ my affection

[@katiez.7622]

And that wink of his works better than Joey Tribbianey’s “How you doin’?” 😍

[@Leukefilms]

@@katiez.7622 My laughing chimney is a creepy guy

[@OffBrandGameBoy]

I managed to scroll to this comment the second he said it

[@alejandrobailon1761]

@@OffBrandGameBoy same

[@dianeaishamonday9125]

🥵

[@nezkeys79]

Talking naturally while he's playing is the real impressive part imo Try it and you'll see what I mean 😏

[@QuintonNG2000]

This is pure facts

[@VeroniMeow]

Not really, he talks when he plays the down notes with the left. They are repetitive and it's not that hard, you could perfectly talk while you play that xd

[@VeroniMeow]

@@cormaccullinane6390 I can do it, the part when he talks is just a loop of the same notes, you can do it without thinking too much about it. He's a really good pianist anyway, I don't think he's bad or something xd

[@yoooniversal]

@@VeroniMeow Do it already

[@ag4640]

@@VeroniMeow Upload a video doing it

[@TheRealSnowCat]

I was lucky enough to see Liberace in concert here in Las Vegas back around 1977. He called me up to the stage, showed me his rings, and said, "See what you get if you practice?" I started piano lessons about a week after that. I only took lessons for a few years, so I'm nowhere near a virtuoso; but it's given me a lifetime of playing enjoyment.

[@T0NYD1CK]

"You know that bank I used to cry all the way to? I bought it!" "George wears my linings!" While he would stand behind one of his motor cars he would say: "You can tell the men from the boys by the size of their toys!" Those were the days ...

[@mnfrench7603]

Peak Las Vegas.

[@davidpoinc6161]

Saw him in 1975 at the Las Vegas Hilton

[@-thanawat-8296]

thats sick!

[@AlexDiesTrying]

Boogie Woogie is so much harder than it sounds if you aim to not make it feel repetitive and/or cheaply composed. Thanks for the sheet music.

[@Thenogomogo-zo3un]

That's why you need the treble

[@jellycatislife]

“You can’t play wrong notes this fast!” Me who sucks at accidentals: How about, no.

[@blendyboi5023]

What if you accidently do an accidental?

[@slowdriver6868]

Hah, I can barely play guitar and listen to too much van halen to be healthy for a normal person, I can tap faster than anything there's just not in the right place

[@maddiemystical8369]

s a m e

[@keithladagaArts]

@@blendyboi5023 ok that tripped my mind...

[@jh.arturo]

@@blendyboi5023 accidentally*

[@laji_]

a man with a hooded jacket comes up on stage and asks "do you know boogie woogie?"

[@joshhoodrat451]

Where’s middle c ?

[@jamesleicher]

I'm recording for me mum

[@DMIvey-bg2wy]

Underrated comment

[@jamesgathings2142]

Great point Elijah. Liberace is playing the correct notes. He is not playing with the correct feeling. I ain't mad at him. His playing has no swing to it.

[@peteroleary9447]

Stop bashing the piano!

[@Orawn]

You know your a true pianist when your hands look as free as his looked when he was playing. He wasn't even looking at the piano and managed to draw the crowd in by giving them a little story WHILE he was playing.

[@BirdYoumans]

Before I started playing other instruments, I started out as a piano player. I wanted to be Liberace. Then came rock and roll. Then came country. Then came Gospel blue grass. Never got to be Liberace lol! But I loved him. Critics panned him. I think they were jealous. I'd like to see their great "classical" pianist (many of whom I loved as well) do this and in later years he did it with large rings on his fingers and costumes that weighed many many pounds. Even if you could argue there were better players out there, He was by far the greatest showman of them all. He was the first concert I ever went to when I was about 7 or 8 and he signed a dollar bill for me and he made everyone of us waiting in line feel special for that moment that he gave each of us, and there were a lot of us. And it wasn't a scribble. Beautiful handwriting. There won't be another one. Rest in peace my friend, you were special.

[@Klara0014]

That’s awesome

[@kerrylawson7515]

I can also recommend Victor Borge. 🙂

[@BirdYoumans]

@@kerrylawson7515 I liked Borge as well, but for different reasons.

[@brenanconroy4052]

There's a vibe in classical circles that you need to put everything into technique and emotion into the piece. I think the reason so many critics hated Liberace was more because he took effort that could have been put into that technical perfection, and instead put it into being a showman, which if you were a Vegas show from the 60s to the 80s... you kinda had to. The "Circuit" disliked him I think because he could have been so much better, in their eyes. In the average, non classically-trained musician world, I think he was exactly where he needed to be. He's like if Horowitz made his concerts a semi-interactive show instead of just a recital.

[@shawno66]

Not only a world class musician, but a world class performer.

[@summertriangle4745]

Darn right he is!

[@pascalsinger4514]

What is his name?

[@shawno66]

@@pascalsinger4514 Liberace

[@pascalsinger4514]

@@shawno66 Thank you

[@cammejia5665]

absolutely

[@whatamitalkingabout3]

This man singlehandedly invented black midi at the end there

[@h1ccup2000]

I think you'll find he used 2 hands actually

[@Clarinet69]

@@h1ccup2000 lol

[@liamsjamsyt1047]

I didn't know he invented new wave British post punk?

[@Mandibularmenace]

@@liamsjamsyt1047 Based on their last KEXP set, I'd say so

[@DaLammel]

The absolute pinnacle of british engineering

[@Julia4672]

My mama always talked about how much she loved Liberace and how talented he was. While going through her belongings after she passed, I found a signed photo of him. Beautiful handwriting. Thanks for sharing this. I now see what she so admired. He was amazing.

[@johnhunter2294]

My mom met him in a store once. She was a huge fan and told him so. He was amazingly gracious, chitchatted with her for a couple of minutes, and signed a dollar bill for her. Debbie Reynolds was Liberace's best friend, and she said "Lots of celebrities are the kind of people who, five minutes after you meet them, you think you've met your new best friend. The difference with Lee is that he'll give you the five minutes." Indeed.

[@luishumbertovega3900]

People mocked Liberace's splendorous customes, the candelabra, the rings, the lifestyle, forgeting he was a greatly talented artist. He just reacted: "I cried all the way to the bank" 🤣🎹💰

[@jeffery_pickles8993]

The fact that he’s able to engage to audience so much during the entire thing really separates it from other performances.

[@Kittsuera]

he doesn't just play the piano, he plays the audience.

[@nopms]

Everyone loved Liberace.

[@bobdownes162]

They are Actors sitting in the audience, it's a Movie. The "Hey's " are dubbed on , and very badly so recording wise. Apart from all that, without doubt, Liberace is brilliant.

[@robertg0105]

I played Boh-Rhap for my talent show, and encouraged my school to sing along, there wasn't a lot of engagement so I yelled "SING LOUDER" Everyone kinda chuckled. Later after I noticed the mood dying, I changed things up and brought the opera section to Megalovania. Wonderful decision. As the finale, I stopped playing, got up, and said "All Rise for the Gamer National Anthem!" Played Sweden All I can say is I was a pretty popular kid for the rest of the year

[@porkyminchasc1150]

@@robertg0105 redditor LARPs that people dont want to constantly avoid him

[@thine.]

**my mom asking me something while i play** "i- yes- uh- shit- yes- FUCK" **loses focus** this guy: "i can do this all day bud"

[@ruth222]

DUDE FR IDK HOW HE'S JUST... SPEAKING SO CASUALLY LIKE THAT???

[@dabigcheezprod]

@@ruth222 Practiced 5 minutes a day with Simply Piano 😉

[@VenetiaTrentalance]

I just say each word to the beat of my metronome and it all comes out very sloooooowly. Lol 😆

[@OnimoIndustries]

That sounds so wrong in so many ways

[@gamemeister27]

"This guy" is Liberace my dude. Teensy bit famous, even to this day. To be fair, I didn't recognize him either until I read the comments

[@nicholasfontana5088]

I'm impressed how long he manages to keep that left hand ostinato going without tiring out, even while contorting his arm out of alignment with his hand so that he can turn to face the audience when talking to them.

[@sooz9433]

This is from the movie "Sincerely Yours". I was a little girl when this movie was released in the mid 50's and I remember how stunned I was at Liberace's piano abilities. I always admired his mastery of the piano. 🎹 ❤

[@raspberryjuiceentertainmen719]

Plot Twist: the first guy that yelled “hey!” was getting someone’s attention and Liberace just went with it

[@david203]

Might have been a plant...

[@canaconn2388]

plot twist: it's a movie

[@coppulor6500]

🤣

[@country_flyboy]

@@david203 I'm pretty sure plants can't yell "Hey!" If they can, I would be concerned as to why and how some random tree would be shouting at me.

[@chudsonscott2008]

@@country_flyboy -_- he’s saying that the preformer could have “planted” a person in the audience to say hey

[@juanferrequetglas4444]

Is nobody gonna talk about how virtuoso this guy is? He can fluently talk while he plays, that is INSANE.

[@austinmolitor7283]

We don't have to. It's Liberace. His name is literally sinonymous with being a piano virtuoso.

[@juanferrequetglas4444]

@@austinmolitor7283 I didn’t know him, he really is a virtuoso, his Tchaikovsky 1st is brutal

[@juanferrequetglas4444]

Lol I have never had so many likes

[@viggojonsell9754]

Ehhhh I have to agree with wikipedia that liberaces claim to fame was his clothing.. not his actualy playing abilities. Now sure he might have talked why playing but did you notice he didnt do it in the last part, the one that was actually difficult? Because most of the other things are pretty easy and wouldn't really compare to the easiest Chopin etudes which you constantly see talented teenagers play. Not saying liberace isn't talented or a good pianist, he is but he isn't really a "virtuoso".

[@juanferrequetglas4444]

@@viggojonsell9754 talking while playing, (I mean concretely TALKING, cause singing isn't that hard) is difficult, I have tried to talk while practicing piano and my brain just collapses if I do 😂.

[@Tomapella]

man, I have so much respect for boogie-woogie pianists. Even though the forms are simple there's so much finger independence and dexterity needed, it's like using a piano as a drum kit.

[@Paranormalin416]

Lee was one of a kind, probably the best showman I have ever witnessed in my life… i’m only 54, but I vividly remember seeing him in Vegas. When I was a kid, I’ll never forget it. He was a master not just of the piano, but of the audience as well, I actually cried when he passed away, because he made that big of an impact on me. Thanks for everything you did Lee, if you couldn’t find the peace and the love that you wanted in this life, I pray that you have found it in the next, you deserve it more than anyone else! Sending you lots of love from Toronto ❤️

[@JeremyEllwood]

I'm a blues piano player and this is actually pretty damned accurate. One thing I noticed playing blues is that if you hit a wrong note, hit it again... then resolve.

[@defectivepikachu4582]

the definition of "all according to plan"

[@Hamppariranskis]

Just like our football coach used to say; if youre gonna mess up, mess up confidently

[@nicolemccloskey5172]

@@Hamppariranskis My band director loves to say "Loud and proud, wrong and strong!"

[@borby4584]

It’s okay if you fall on your face, just make it look like that’s what you meant to do.

[@timdoherty101]

Or, as Adam Neely says (repeatedly), “repetition legitimises”.

[@EricBlackmonGuitar]

AND he has a conversation while he is doing that.

[@Aplecidrpie]

insane

[@ChemistTea]

To play that right hand with that left hand is just as hard as talking at the same time.

[@landondavismusic]

Hey Eric!😂

[@mugnuz]

Well he's talking bit doesn't have conversation at all...

[@timerchOfficialyt]

The one thing that feels like it's two times longer than it is but isn't boring

[@billbaumiester6764]

Liberace was a master piano player. If he had decided to play blues and rock piano as a career he would have run loops around Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis

[@gregoryschleitwiler9601]

Doubt very much if he could hold a candle to Rick Wakeman or Jordan Rudis; however Liberace inspired me as a child to play and now I'm almost as good as Wakeman. Definitely blow Elton John away. Never reach the likes of Billy Joel though

[@oompaloompadoompa-de-doo3614]

@@gregoryschleitwiler9601billy Joel? Didn’t know he was that good?

[@googleuser4152]

Joel was brilliant, check out his first albums. His talent was overshadowed by his ego

[@lidzz1012]

the fact he has this whole piece memorized, can play without looking, and can play without mistakes, AND TALKING TO THE AUDIENCE- LIKE HOW??!

[@lowercasepeople49]

Memorization isn't hard when you are familiar with a 12 bar blues. It's the everything else that impresses me.

[@mbw6785]

Practice

[@thatguydenki1624]

Muscle memory’s an amazing thing

[@HackerFrosch]

@@lowercasepeople49 Yes you only Need to learn a few Blues patterns and improvise a nice melody

[@xanderxjsstudios9653]

Welcome to JAzz

[@neonbeige1289]

I didn’t know it was possible for human hands to do this until now

[@patrickaicheler]

In classic they have this tempo as well, just search for la Campanella, Liszt

[@ethandaniel1994]

@@patrickaicheler Try Ravel's Jeux d'eau Not quite as technically difficult as Campenella, but is very lyrically challenging Edit: Also Liszt's Transcendental Etudes are on the more technical side too

[@dm6607]

Hiromi... go find her

[@null8295]

@@ethandaniel1994 try Sorabji

[@fabiomangone9789]

@@ethandaniel1994 Scribian etudes are just 😳

[@LilyOfTheTower]

My grandfather played like this!! He was a badass that survived at sea when kamikaze planes took down his ship in WW2. He was a fun loving happy man and he played the piano so effortlessly. He was 100% self taught too. He was a one in a million kind of guy. Love you grandpa Eddie ❤🤍💙

[@Michman2024]

I saw him live at Radio City Music Hall about a year before he passed. It was an incredible performance.

[@SheenylHassan]

Liberace at the end: "If you can play it slow, you can play it fast."

[@thebamboozlerette1824]

Twoset Bret and Eddy: 🤦‍♂️ 🤦‍♂️

[@sasukesarutobi3862]

Sacrilege!

[@jeffersonkee6440]

True!

[@Urfcannon]

actually good advice

[@bencris2bal511]

interesting

[@catnash]

I'll say this as someone who has played piano for about 40 years, one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do is play a triplet against a different rhythm or accompanying music, especially at an allegro or faster speed. Liberace makes it look effortless and is very consistent at getting it perfect each time he does this.

[@bisexial_disaster2795]

I noticed that too, however I have not been playing instruments for nearly that long, I mostly play the bassoon (have been for aprox. 6 years), but I know several other instruments.

[@menriquez89]

The eighth notes and triplets are on the same grid in this style. All triplet based.

[@sidlori1592]

Well, when getting started with duplet vs triplet on different hands at the same time, it might as well be impossible...but after working it awhile, it got too easy. I'd actually purposely practice scales and arpeggios with duplets on one hand and triplets on the other just for a challenge. Definitely gives your mind a workout...but after the hands are "freed" from each other, suddenly the 11 notes on one hand vs 12 on the other common in Liszt / Chopin becomes quite feasible and actually rather nonchalant. Maybe I practiced too much ;-) ...just wait for music that calls for duplet against triplet on the SAME hand, now that's a trick. (Piano Trio in F, Robert Volkmann, 1st movt for one...can't think of any others off the top of my head though.)

[@menriquez89]

@@sidlori1592 it’s not duplet and triplet. The eights are swung so the ands are actually on the 3rd triplet. It’s all on triplets. No polyrhythm

[@sidlori1592]

@@menriquez89 was responding to the comment by @catnash regarding playing a triplet against a different rhythm...no connection intended to the video.

[@rayrayray4116]

Liberace was absolutely astonishing. Saw him at Radio City Music Hall in like 1982, 3rd row. He was a gift. And his candelabra.....

[@mattg6262]

Others have said it but honestly the most amazing part of this video is the part where he talks with ease and even jokes while playing the left hand pianissimo perfectly.

[@Glisten456]

"I stop playing for a moment, and that's because there isn't any music there" This man's a genius.

[@mrosskne]

wow... hilarious...

[@otesunki]

@@mrosskne yes. hilarious. what bout it

[@snailcheeseyt]

@@woah2560 he didn’t explain the joke in any way shape or form

[@snailcheeseyt]

@@woah2560 lmao bro adds a dumb comment and then calls me autist

[@snailcheeseyt]

@@woah2560 well said “Woah”

[@batmansully2317]

The fact that someone took the time to transcribe this onto sheet music is amazing

[@kyanaddington]

Yes

[@99xara99]

Didn't even think about this but yes. This is he only reason I watched it tbh, makes it much easier to grasp for me

[@andrewd4890]

Think you’ll find it’s done with software

[@sdgc8667]

@@andrewd4890 What software would that be and how many hours did a person spend removing all the wrong and missing notes the software detected or didn't.

[@DiAL033]

1:40 That little break, that's the Cockney influence in Boogie-Woogie ;o)

[@mikemccormick8115]

What an amazing talent. And then there’s Roy Clark.

[@yaven8338]

The real impressive part was getting the notes of these over him talking

[@Blobbyo25]

And he even kept a consistent adjusted volume while he spoke... Like he doesn't even need to think about it anymore his hands just do what they want

[@yaven8338]

@@Blobbyo25 i meant writing the notes that are below from the ear 😂 But yes.

[@ywoisug8845]

That's called muscle memory. He was just repeating one rather simple (in comparison) part. I am rather bad at piano but after playing a lot I can play some easier parts with my eyes closed with like 75% accuracy. This guy is a genius and I am not saying he isn' t but it really isn't that hard

[@hahhah42speedruns]

"I can't think of anyone in a band who would get screams like that except Liberace." -Arlene Francis

[@summertriangle4745]

"Ah, yes" -Arlene Francis

[@solarean]

"Don't put my name under false quotes, please" -Arlene Francis

[@hahhah42speedruns]

@@solarean Check out Liberace as a mystery guest on "What's My Line".

[@solarean]

@@hahhah42speedruns sure!

[@dp-gr3wg]

And we're back. This is Mr. New Vegas, and I feel something magic in the air tonight, and I'm not just talking about the gamma radiation.

[@BoogieBoy_]

I really love the underlying bass groove throughout this

[@salandit7461]

Me at the start: Yeah that’s fucking fast, but nothing that a decent pianist couldn’t achieve with enough practice 3:26 “Let’s try 16th notes” Me: *oh shit*

[@jodupher5925]

There's a lot more to this than the technique though... The fact that he's talking though the whole think without missing a single beat is even more difficult than the actual playing. The 16th notes were absolutely unreal

[@salandit7461]

@@jodupher5925 Yeah that’s true actually!

[@yuvalne]

That's why the chapters are "fast" and "blink and you'll miss it"

[@torbenfranck3631]

The intro of the 16th thing sounded weirdly metal

[@defaultusername123]

Liberace really was one of the best piano players ever. A caricature today, but the man was a great

[@gxtmfa]

This dude just entertains. He can hold a crowd like no other

[@Custly]

Talking about crowd control...

[@brahmburgers]

James Brown is pretty good also, but different. Brown shouts at his audience, almost as if saying, "YOU GOTTA LOVE ME AND MY KICKASS BAND." Liberace does it with charm and wit. The last song Brown wrote had only 7 words, "My face is wet / wet with sweat." He wrote it onstage, during a performance in France.

[@KingLouisII]

He's Liberace. In his day, he was renowned as the greatest live performer in existence.

[@gxtmfa]

Huh. I guess some folks agreed

[@T0NYD1CK]

He was known as "Mr Showmanship."

[@occamraiser]

So impressive (as ever) watching someone excel at a thing you couldn't even imagine being able to do. I'm going to go and dig out some Zither videos to amaze myself with now :)

[@Shyasonic]

This is crazily awesome!! Not only because of the wonderful playing, I am totally amazed by this transcription!

[@derkaiser50]

Therapist: Shredding on a piano doesn’t exist, it can’t hurt you. Shredding on a piano:

[@MinecraftMachine2000]

Check out Jordan Rudess sometime

[@EmpereurNapoleonex]

shredding and slapping on a piano

[@jonasw3945]

Check out Liszt

[@SomeWhereIWander]

@@MinecraftMachine2000 check out tigran hamasyan

[@lepurpleboi3266]

I’d also like to bring up Billy Joel’s Prelude/Angry Young Man

[@B---tw3kh]

Man plays like they're charging him per second

[@tezzerii]

Per Note !!

[@TheHeavyshadow]

​@@tezzeriiThey're charging per second and paying per note, and he's dead set on turning a profit tonight!

[@emilyking4493]

This might just be your best work yet !! Loved it, thank you

[@JPeeler-mu1kn]

The way he keeps playing while talking but modulates the volume is incredible

[@WalrusRiderCycling]

Didn't even recognise it was Liberace until I read the description.

[@scottrich976]

I thought he was Garrak from DS9

[@anyasea10739]

Didn’t know it was Liberace until I read this comment

[@aridabaginindabag9970]

When you get to a celerity comment early.... OMG THANK YOU FOR THE LIIIKES

[@nade7242]

who is Liberace

[@rutgervanboetzelaer3264]

@@nade7242 this piano player

[@colten2524]

well now i feel like shouting "hey!" whenever a pianist rests. this may be bad.

[@SharkSalesman90]

Loll

[@endel12]

You: HEY! The guy playing the Chopin solo: ಠ_ಠ

[@FilmyWPigulce]

I love this guys accent. Its perfect for the character.

[@shop970]

Extremely unique piano player. He was a virtuoso to a degree that never was replicated. Super skills beyond talented!

[@mrthehyland]

It’s weird that most people nowadays don’t know that’s Liberace. He was so famous back in the day. Great piano player.

[@akkay47]

Yep, all the comments on this video referring to Liberace as "this guy" from people who have no idea who he is. Sad!

[@ImNotADeeJay]

I know Liberace, just didn't recognize him dressing like that

[@rakninja]

i've only ever known of liberace from his vegas days. i'd never seen him before his transformation into the outrageous and over the top vegas fixture.

[@TheTruthKiwi]

Yeah, I thought Liberace was way more flamboyant. This must be really old then!

[@danyf3116]

@@ImNotADeeJay But the voice is unmistakable.

[@KevinTKeith]

His performances were overshadowed by his flamboyant personality and the stories about his private life. People forget that he was simply one hell of a performer and an outstanding piano player!

[@mainstreetsaint36]

He was a fantastic player alright. Too bad his vanity was as strong as his musical talent. Would you like to hear a funny story, he tried to turn his boyfriend into a younger version of himself. Look up Scott Thorson if you don't believe me.

[@Mister_Clean]

Journalists are the spawn of satan, tbh

[@bwacuff169]

Him and Elvis...didn't care for either of them...but this is impressive as hell..... As nd this was the type of video for Elvis. It blew me away. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZ-TlXWVo7yZhqM

[@honeycombc]

The mark of not only amazing musical talent, but a raw ability to engage the audience with the music. Genuinely inspirational as a performer!

[@knastera]

Thanks for posting this. Liberace was a legend when I was a kid. Greatness never gets old. He was the consummate entertainer.

[@Bungord]

I love how humans have always had that sarcastic humor and it’s not just the new generation that does it but all of human history we’ve done it. 1:18 “You’ll notice right in the middle I stop playing for a moment. And that’s because...there isn’t any music for that part.”

[@holliswilliams8426]

Very observant.

[@sethpolley7999]

Some types of humor spans time and generations. I think personally that this kind of humor is the best.

[@moosey7165]

Who said sarcasm is a recent invention? Generational humor styles actually kind of alternate. Everyone knows boomer humor, but before that there was the silent generation, if you look into it a little you'll see that they had SCARILY similar humor to Gen Z, it was very absurd and random. A good example would be this song from the 1930s about someone liking bananas because they don't have any bones which totally seems like something Gen Z would come up with kzbin.info/www/bejne/ol60nICXeLhqebc

[@lxxwj]

@@moosey7165 lmao thats fucking wild i wouldve never guessed

[@moosey7165]

@@lxxwj Yeah its really interesting, however the downside is according to this rule, boomer humor is up next. So theoretically gen Alpha is gonna end up with boomer humor.

[@jwhite3389]

Liberace: oh you only have 8 beats in a bar? That's cute.

[@thelawyer7615]

I could easily picture him saying this. His voice just fits it.

[@e_paige]

musicians that talk/entertain while playing like this is is another level type of skill

[@georgetate6055]

You HOOKED me! Subscribed, liked . . . listened to . . . and still listening!

[@ArtyomPlatonev]

It amuses me how into Liberace every woman looks in this video.

[@lukasantos6991]

what

[@BluesDivinity]

@@lukasantos6991 it amuses him how many women seem to be so focused on a man who had no focus for them

[@souliersnoirs]

In "TV or not TV" (1955) from "The Honeymooners", Alice Kramden insists that it's time for Ralph to buy them a TV. "I don't want to look at these four walls ... I want to look at Liberace!"

[@realimereads2707]

What does that mean?

[@Composer_Piggy]

@@realimereads2707 Liberace was gay

[@brandondavidson4085]

Liberace, in his 40s: "Okay fellas, now it's your turn"

[@darklordojeda]

Lmao, that's a great one.

[@olahhk9949]

Underrated comment.

[@hiimemily]

_i'm howling_

[@UnclePengy]

Oh my!

[@Briguy1027]

Wow you did a lot of work transcribing Liberace's playing. I couldn't do that except for the "hey" part, LOL.

[@federicoprice2687]

Thank you Liberace - hugely talented in his inimitable way, and arguably a great pianist as well. RIP

[@elaw2414]

I know a lot of you are younger and probably don't know who this is and I can see from the comments you're impressed (Which is good!) But this guy was a big friggin deal back in the day. Liberace, look him up. It's a bit sad that he faded into obscurity especially since he tried really hard to be memorable but at the core, he was an amazing piano player and entertainer.

[@DivineDefect]

I dunno 2.3 million views on this one video alone? I know in comparison to the world population that's not a lot at all but I can't imagine having that many people invested and impressed with me.

[@Aerodumb]

Well, now more people are going to remember him!

[@uekiguy5886]

I remember Liberace when I was a kid in the '60s and '70s, but I did not recognize him here. By my time he certainly did not look, dress, and act like this.

[@RaymondHng]

He didn't exactly fade away into obscurity. He had a huge presence on Las Vegas. The Liberace Museum operated in LV for 31 years, 23 of years after his death. Also, the lawsuits and allegations of homosexuality kept him in the public spotlight.

[@OdaKa]

Tryhard

[@AlanSmitheeman]

His endurance is incredible. His left hand never lost tempo at all and his speed and accuracy put him in a very elite class. Elton John admired his piano playing and that is very high praise.

[@reelsforyou8567]

Liberace supersedes Elton… and was someone who inspired him coming up. He is one of the best pianists of all time

[@jonathansturgisjs]

He inspired Elton by playing the flute.

[@Brett733]

@@jonathansturgisjs ya the skin flute

[@jonathansturgisjs]

@Brett733 you're favorite instrument!!!

[@P0licywonk]

He was inspired by his wardrobe as well.

[@SquawkMonk]

Without fail, your vids bring a smile to my face. Thanks!

[@queenannsrevenge100]

The one thing it’s easy to forget about some of these legendary musicians long passed is just how TALENTED they were. People like Liberace, Roy Clark, Jerry Reed, etc.. just sheer, bewilderingly talented individuals.

[@looknoropes5404]

this is the moment when the weird nerd at school who is good at the piano becomes the cool kid at school who is good at the piano

[@williammurray5135]

Me lol

[@eliboyle22]

Lolll even though everyone hated me because I played the piano I still thought I was cool😂

[@dharmamuthalagappan5157]

@@eliboyle22 I like this one’s self confidence 😂😂😂 I’m the same haha

[@eliboyle22]

@@dharmamuthalagappan5157 Lol thanks, I just had it in my mind that they couldn't top what I was doing😂🤦‍♀️ Usually I don't have that mindset on things but you better bet your biscuits that I thought that way about piano😂

[@darklordojeda]

He would hold the world record in Tetris without any shadow of a doubt. The ultimate hyper tapper.

[@answer2question742]

*roller

[@hillmanhung3846]

Clearly a better roller, you can even see his fingers rolling

[@Peat030]

Liberace Vs cheez Who would win?

[@answer2question742]

@@Peat030 poet13

[@eflat7_]

aint beating my hjomie cheezy fish aint nobody beating my homie Cheese fish

[@GemstoneActual]

This is ballin'! I especially appreciate the transcription - over-achievement is the only achievement.

[@samroe4294]

its nice that he's tying to preform for the audience in front of him and behind him

[@robynm9596]

The whole audience is smiling, what good entertainment!

[@trentc7329]

There was a giant angled mirror on the back of his Las Vegas stage so the audience could see his hands as he played. And he had all the diamond rings to make his hands flash in the stage lights. It was definitely a spectacle. Kind of like Yngwie of piano. Didn't really care about his music, but it was impressive to see.

[@robynm9596]

@@trentc7329 That sounds so cool to see, he seems like a very good performer

[@Customerbuilder]

I always like the sound of certain late 40's/early 50's music. Never knew how to describe it. The walking bass Boogie Woogie reminds me of a snapshot of American Graffiti.

[@harmonybade324]

Whoa. What a beautiful way to put it.

[@guy5140]

The music is just excited and over joyed. it perfectly expresses the average American who won WWII, had a prosperous economy, and were the kings of the world.

[@qwertyflags]

never thought of it that way before, but it is so true.

[@41-Haiku]

Listening to my great-grandma play boogie woogie on her piano was like getting transported into the past. She was born in 1911. Boogie-woogie had been around since the 1870's, but became mainstream in the 1920's, growing in popularity through the 30's. By all accounts, it was a good time to dance.

[@wbrucesimpson]

When I was kid my parents took me and my brother to see Liberace. Amazing show. I remember him coming out at the end in a Canadian Royal Mounted Police Uniform that lit up like a float at a parade!

[@DarkDragonPath]

3:21 - When the pianist starts getting paid by the song and not by the hour... (ie- "We don't need no stinkin time signature")

[@starnekohikaru]

What amazes me the most is his ability to stay relaxed the entire time. Its not easy keeping those octaves going so accurately and quickly, and he not only does it at such a low dynamic level when he talks, his hand never once tensed up. Fast octaves are always challenging - even more so when they move around

[@briangruessner4453]

That's the crazy part: if this is what he's playing in front of an audience relaxed like it's easy, there must be some theoretical level of difficulty when he practiced in private where he was pushing his limits. What does that sound like?

[@rivetace]

@@briangruessner4453 Tensing up is a natural reaction for matters of strength; if it's difficult, just push harder. But in matters of finesse, like playing instruments, tension (beyond the minimum requirement) inhibits control. All that to say, the piano player being relaxed is what allows him to go that fast; it doesn't mean he's far from his limits. I'd guess he couldn't go much faster than the 16th note part without losing control.

[@benjameshowden]

The strength in his left hand

[@lkctom2546]

Look at some of his other videos. This dude use to be able to play flawlessly while jumping around lol

[@lkctom2546]

@@scladoffle2472 hey hey hey he preformed this live so many times. Search up "Liberace boogie woogie". I think George Collier just chose this clip cause it has the best quality

[@brahmburgers]

I've known about Liberace for a half century, but usually as the butt of jokes. I knew he played piano, but never knew, until now, how damned great he was. Supreme entertainer!

[@kensolar69]

He excelled at jazz, classical, pop, and boogie woogie and probably could have done rock. And if you've never heard him play classical with an orchestra ......

[@gertnood]

He was a master. Yeah the butt of jokes and all that, but underneath the showbiz persona was a phenomenal musician.

[@joefelice5062]

Well, there was a reason he became famous. The jokes came later…

[@johnhunter2294]

Most people remember the later Liberace, with the flamboyant costumes and stage shows, but underneath all that was a supremely talented musician. I bet his TV show would still get good ratings if they reran it today... he wasn't as flashy, and focused more on displaying his surpassing musicianship.

[@marcelchaloupka]

He was great but became corny and cheesy over the years

[@viccasaur]

OOOOoo When I was Liberace in the thumbnail I knew this was going to be gooood! I grew up listening to his music thanks to my dad :)

[@rainbowfox1075]

Honestly, I'm not even paying attention to the music anymore at all, the joy this guy started is incredible! But as a pianist, I can say what he played is very impressive :D

[@joeybonin7691]

He was born to play, and compelled to entertain, and was so good at both.

[@oscarbarraza2707]

This guy is an og, hit em with the ladies say “hay” first

[@Kay-ql2wl]

??? R u drunk?

[@vetiarvind]

although, he was gay in reality ;) but he kept it private all his life (you had to in that era)

[@michealpants]

@@vetiarvind you still have to now. shit sucks.

[@c3113c]

@@michealpants Where do you live?

[@michealpants]

@@c3113c all i’ll say is that it tries to be progressive but it doesn’t try hard enough

[@lanceponciano1174]

I initially thought it was really hard, then, this man just made it twice harder. Kudos!

[@shaldana]

Liberace was my hero as a kid and I took up piano because of seeing him on TV. I grew up on Lawrence Welk, Victor Borge, Liberace, and other greats in the classical and big band world and I sure do miss their content. I love our digital world in that us grey hairs can have access to this, and I hope that you younger generations can appreciate just how amazing these guys were and what a massive contribution they made to our world.

[@ianmoore5502]

Its actually incredible that it feels like it literally IS derived from some classical idea before it starts evolving into something more harmonically consistent with what im familiar with as boogie woogie. Definitely a diversiom of attentiom that added to the show.

[@metaspherz]

This just proves that if you make a mistake you keep playing and nobody will notice. It also helps if you don't make a mistake...

[@ua2381]

Liberace is amazing!! He is missed. What a showman he was and will remain.

[@gnawbabygnaw]

1974 I was a boy on vacation in Palm Springs and saw Liberace’s house. I remember being told he had a piano in every room and the one in his bedroom was how he was shaken out of bed in the morning. The butler would play a riff and stop just before it resolved. Liberace had to get up and hit the note to resolve it cuz it drove him crazy.

[@khaansulu5695]

"You can't play WRONG notes this fast!" I could play only wrong notes faster than that

[@cameronsitton501]

*slams hand down on table* Take my like

[@zephthezquirrellord]

Liszt: I can play wrong note faster than this

[@RDS_Armwrestling]

0:31 - someone is enjoying the boogie woogie in a little more than musical kinda way hahaha

[@gbev.productions4015]

To paraphrase Jack Nicholson from "As Good As It Gets" with a similar context: if that did it for Liberace, he'd be the luckiest man in the world!

[@zumi9master870]

she's seeing those fingers move y'know

[@RDS_Armwrestling]

@@zumi9master870 man's got speed and endurance ay

[@BoHista23]

i've got bad news for her

[@carrotninja6597]

@@BoHista23 what's that?

[@chrisn676]

WOW. I knew Liberace was a famous entertainer, but I had no idea he was that skilled at the piano. What a performance!